Published On:Friday, September 14, 2012
Posted by abg man
Anti-Islam film protests hit US mission in TN
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Angry Muslims protesting against a film disparaging Islam and its Prophet threw stones and footwear at the US consulate in Chennai on Friday. (AP Photo)
CHENNAI: Angry Muslims protesting against a film disparaging Islam and its Prophet threw stones and footwear at the US consulate in Chennai on Friday. Slogan-shouting protesters belonging to the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) damaged the window panes of the enquiry counter and three police booths in front of the heavily-fortified consulate on Anna Salai. Two security guards were injured in the attack.
Around 1,500 protesters came in groups and assembled near the consulate around 4pm. The protesters also set fire to an effigy and burnt American flag. "We just could not do anything as the protesters were more in number," said a policeman. Several security cameras were damaged in the attack.
A group of TMMK activists had gathered near a mosque on Peters Road in Royapettah as they had obtained permission to stage a protest. But when police stopped them from moving towards the US consulate by putting up barricades, they informed another group which was coming from Tambaram. The second group, consisting of around 200 people, got off their vehicles near Gemini flyover and rushed towards the consulate. Later even the protesters who had gathered on Peters Road managed to breach security and reached the mission.
Soon more police personnel arrived and dispersed the protesters. Around 700 were picked up and taken to New College, where they were detained for some time before being let off. No one has been arrested.
City police commissioner J K Tripathy visited the consulate and held talks with senior US officials and assured them of protection. When asked if this was an intelligence failure as the Muslim party had called for a press conference and even sent text messages about the protest, he said, "It is a one off incident when one group broke away and indulged in violence."
J&K separatists put under house arrest
J&K police placed several separatist leaders under house arrest to avert protests on Friday against a US film that denigrates Islam. Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani had called for protests while Mufti Azam Bashir-ud-Din had asked people to observe a bandh. There was no response to his strike call, police said. Sources said Geelani was placed under house arrest along with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chairman Yasin Malik. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC were imposed to prevent people from taking to streets and hundreds of police and CRPF personnel were deployed across the Valley. Three policemen were injured in a clash at Kupwara in north Kashmir. Protests were also reported from Srinagar and Baramulla in north Kashmir.
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